Drive or Fly: Clinton Township, MI to Vermontville, MI?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

At this distance, driving is almost always faster and cheaper door-to-door.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 32m

Distance

121.9 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

49 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 41m

13m in the air

Air Distance

107 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clinton Township, MI → DTW 51m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAN → Vermontville, MI 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Clinton Township, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

Vermontville, MI LAN — Capital Region International Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 15m

2h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clinton Township, MI → Royal Oak Amtrak 20m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 160m

Arrival 10m

Battle Creek → Vermontville, MI 35m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Royal Oak Amtrak 13 mi, ~20m drive

To Battle Creek 23 mi, ~35m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 32m	3h 41m	4h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$21
Carbon footprint	49 kg CO₂	27 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	100% on-time

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

121.9 mi 2h 32m

via I 96, I 696, East Vermontville Highway

Shortest (+14 min)

117.4 mi 2h 47m

via M 59, I 96, East Vermontville Highway

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Clinton Township, MI to Vermontville, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.